Most Jamaicans believe UK rule better according to poll

A new poll suggests that most Jamaicans believe the island would be better off under British rule.

Photo: ALAMY

6:55AM BST 30 Jun 2011

The poll of 1,008 Jamaicans for The Gleaner newspaper was conducted over four days by U.S. pollster Bill Johnson. Sixty per cent of those surveyed believed the island would be better off if it had remained a U.K. colony.

Seventeen per cent said the island would be worse off as a British colony and 23 per cent said they did not know. The poll had a margin of error of 4 percentage points.

Jamaica achieved independence from Britain in 1962.

Since then, the island has struggled with high crime, a hefty debt burden and inefficient government.